Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or are these women just ... argg??

301 replies

Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:09

My cat is up a very tall, thin tree behind our house and has been there for three days now. She's 14 and very timid.

We realised she was missing after 24 hours (she is often out overnight) and went looking for her. She wasn't hard to find but will not come down. We've tried food, water, pusspusspussing. She just sits there and mews. So I rang the RSPCA who said that cats up trees normally come down within five days and that they wouldn't call the firemen till then. I mentioned the cold and they said that they'd send someone to assess but not to worry. A woman came out and said to keep encouraging her but that she would come down and if she didn't they would arrange something. Not to try to get to her. Fair enough, I thought.

Fast forward 24 hours and a woman from around the corner and her two friends come to the door. Is that my cat and what's going on? So I explain. They wanted to know why we hadn't tried to get her down. I explained. They asked why I hadn't put ladders up to get her. I'm eight months pregnant, which I thought might speak for itself. So I started to get annoyed, told them to leave it and shut the door.

This morning I went out to the cat and she's 10 foot higher than she was before. Perched in the branches where she was the night before is a bowl, I presume of food.

Midday, the women come round again. All of them. Why haven't I got the cat out of the tree? I pointed out that they had actually forced her further up the tree. Well at least we tried, they said, why haven't I called 999? Because it's not an emergency and costs 500 quid. Wouldn't it be worth it? They ask. Hmm. I told them not to knock again and to leave it to us and the RSPCA. And at this rate the bloody firemen.

As they were leaving, one of them said (very loudly and deliberately) "I feel sorry for her baby if that's how she treats her cat."

Am I being unreasonable to feel somewhat aggrieved?

OP posts:
Crabapple99 · 10/12/2011 23:30

It's not a scottish wild cat! I'm just saying cats are often perfectlu ok in low temperatures, and give an example of a type of cat very similar to a domestic pet, who is outside throughout the scottish winter, and try not to worry

MaeMobley · 10/12/2011 23:31

I would fork out the £500.

troisgarcons · 10/12/2011 23:31

Oh FFS - how old is your DP? its not beyond most blokes to nip up a ladder - and I frequently have to go up a ladder to replace the washing line and I poke a 16yo child up a ladder to clean the windows as well.

Pop some bubble wrap on the ground - you'll all be ok.

squeakytoy · 10/12/2011 23:31

think that's what the OP is saying squeaky, her neighbours are calling her cruel leaving the cat she loves up a tree, but she's not leaving her, she's doing everything she can to get her down

Other than call the RSPCA, she hasnt really done much Confused

MaeMobley · 10/12/2011 23:33

My "babies" are 15 years old; no way would I leave them up a tree.

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:34

We don't have tall ladders. The tree is - I suppose unwell is the only way to describe it. They've been planted to close together (not by us!) and are spindly.

Someone has already been up (hence the bowl) and she just went further up.

It's higher than a washing line or second floor windows.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:35

*too

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 23:35

The RSPCA are shit and always have been

I'd seek more humane advice OP to be honest

There are plenty of things you can do

Start a local Facebook group asking for help

Phone your local paper and ask them to run a story

Ring around a couple of tree surgeons and ask if they're kind hearted enough to do it for a couple of quid.

You don't know until you try...but you don't seem to be trying at all.

That's probably what the women were trying to get across to you.

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:35

I will go up if you are in Cheshire or thereabouts...honestly I would HAPPILY do it and not fall either.

hmc · 10/12/2011 23:35

Hmmm, on reflection - I think I would pay the money too, although I am aware that not everyone can spare £500 ( i wouldn't get my dh to climb a ladder either - a friend recently had a very nasty fall from a ladder)

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:35

And I don't know what else I'm supposed to do :(

I don't have £500.

OP posts:
troisgarcons · 10/12/2011 23:36

My washing line is 40 foot up - I dont like it up there but someone has to do it

squeakytoy · 10/12/2011 23:36

Ring up the Cats Protection League, any other animal charity in the area, or ask on facebook if anyone knows a builder or roofer who has some ladders.

The RSPCA are notoriously shite at helping anyone. They didnt want to come out, so they give you some bullshit about leaving the cat up there.

Your cat is old, likely to be weak, and will not survive too long in this weather.

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:36

Can you appeal to a loal construction companu to lend their cherry picker? Tel them you wll call the local press and they will get free publicity and also put it on the net...make it viral. DO IT! Please...poor puss.

hmc · 10/12/2011 23:37

Try the local Facebook group suggestion - that could work

tabulahrasa · 10/12/2011 23:37

3 days?

I'd be sending someone up a ladder, paying for the fire brigade or even going up a bit myself to see if I could entice her down tbh.

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:37

Tell us what area you are in...I thnk the cherry picker will work...especially if your DH goes up in it...though they may not be insured for that...

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:38

Fair enough, I'll ring a tree surgeon tomorrow. By Monday the RSPCA said they would do something about it.

OP posts:
WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:38

She's 8 months pregnant tabulah

AnotherMincepie · 10/12/2011 23:38

YANBU. What makes those busybodies think they know more about animal care than the RSPCA?

smartyparts · 10/12/2011 23:40

Poor cat! But I feel for you too, OP.

I hope it comes down soon and we see a 'cat is purring on my lap after a big dinner' post Smile

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 23:40

Because the RSPCA generally couldn't give a shiny shite

It's not rocket science to work out you should do all you can to help a 14yr old cat out of a tree in the winter.

Tree surgeons have harnesses so they can go as high as they like

And the cherry picker someone suggested was also a good idea.

SherbetDibDab · 10/12/2011 23:41

MaeMobley - If you can afford £500 - that's wonderful but the fine is not some sort of call out charge where you can get emergency services to do any old job of your pleasing. The fine is there because there's bigger priority stuff out there.

tabulahrasa · 10/12/2011 23:41

'She's 8 months pregnant'

that's why I said go up a bit, I didn't say the full height!!!

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:41

It sounds heartless but money is a factor. I can't do a whip round for 500 quid and I can't afford to hire a cherry picker.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread